Preparing for an Audit

Our audits include a review of administrative procedures to assess whether internal controls in a unit are adequate. We consider our audits to be a collaborative process between the unit and Auditing. For us to provide quality services, the information we request must be provided timely, and your employees must be made available for our questions. The availability of your personnel and the timetable for their assistance are key elements in the successful completion of our review. We will periodically discuss our progress and observations throughout the course of the review. We will always maintain the confidentiality of your information in accordance with our professional standards.

Primary Phases

Announcement

A notification for an audit when possible will be almost a week prior to the start of fieldwork. The notification will normally be via an email and the email will include an entry memo. This memo will state the subject matter of the audit, objectives, scope, time table for the audit and how the results will be communicated. Additional information in the notification may include list of deliverables necessary to perform fieldwork and the logistics for an opening meeting. Your responsibilities as an auditee are to notify all necessary personnel in the area of the audit so they can make themselves available when needed during the timeframe of the audit and to prepare deliverables that have been requested in a timely manner.

Fieldwork

During this phase, the audit deliverables are reviewed, interviews are held with key staff, and all information obtained is documented by the auditor. This phase will also be the initial vetting phase for issues uncovered during the audit with staff to ensure accuracy of the auditors work and to allow sufficient time for management to be notified of pending issues.

Reporting

This is the phase of the audit where results are communicated with the auditee as well as the auditee's management in a draft audit report. Management responses are requested for the issues within the audit report along with an anticipated completion date for the audit issue remediation efforts.

Closing meeting

During this last phase of the audit, the draft audit report is covered one last time with the auditee as well as the responses provided by the audit issue owners so any last questions with regard to the draft audit report can be answered. After the closing meeting the audit report will be sent out as final to the auditee and other interested parties.